Walkie Talkie

Some info regarding walkie talkies. I will keep it as brief and simple as possible with links if you wish to read more. (Similar discussions have happened on Dubai Offroaders & Almost 4x4 pages)

Please note, I am not an expert; just sharing what I have been reading. So when you read what I have written, please keep that in mind. If you have any corrections, recommendations, let me know, I will update the article.

Why Walkie Talkie?Simply because we do not have 100% perfect coverage where we drive & communication is important.

Which Walkie Talkies to buy?We first have to understand the basics as there are lots of different ones, used for lots of different purposes and professions.

VHF vs UHFYou can use both, or either. Walkie Talkies are available in both or either as per your preference. For our purposes, UHF is better on land, while VHF is better at sea. There are walkies available which are dual band.

Which standard to follow for frequencies?This is where the discussion gets interesting. I will introduce you to the following:

The Family Radio Service (FRS) is an improved walkie talkie radio system authorized in the United States since 1996. This personal radio service uses channelized frequencies around 462 and 467 MHz in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band.

General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) is a land-mobile FM UHF radio service designed for short-distance two-way communication. GNRS share the FRS frequency band near 462 and 467 MHz.

Personal Mobile Radio, 446 MHz (PMR446) is a part of the UHF radio frequency range that is open without licensing for business and personal use in most countries of the European Union. It has roughly the same use as FRS or GMRS in the United States and Canada.

Low Power Device 433 MHz (LPD433) Uses frequencies in the UHF band from 433.075 MHz to 434.775 MHz, within a band traditionally reserved for amateur radio operations at higher RF power levels in most nations woldwide. LPD hand-held radios are authorized for license-free voice communications use in most of Europe using analog frequency modulation (FM) as part of Short range device regulations <1km

Link to an excel file with channels and UHF frequencies will be at the end of this post.

How far is the range?The range is subject to what is between 2 walkie talkies; buildings, concrete, steel, sand, or even air. The power is measured in watts. i.e. A 5W unit will give you 10-15 km in open space, but might not work around the corner of a mountain. You decide how much you are willing to spend. : )

TRA Guidelines (http://www.tra.gov.ae...)I still find them somewhat confusing, but my understanding is that they follow more of the European policies and as such the FRS/ GMRS are not allowed. Additionally there is a licensing requirement and a limit of the walkie power. I am not sure but from what I understood, PMR446 and LPD433 should be okay. *However read the guidlines, follow them; and use devices at your own responsibility / risk.

Where to buy them in the UAE?They are not sold everywhere. However there are several shops in Dragon Mart, Dubai that have them. Most of what they have are Chinese brands, but they do seem to work. Don't expect to find stuff you see on amazon.com there. *Again, buy and use at your own risk.

Which Model to buy?I would recommend one that you can program, either with a display and keypad or using a computer to the channels & frequencies your prefer. Ask the sales guy before you buy if it can be programmed and if they will do it for you. Take a printout of the frequency list with you.

VHF/UHF Combined Band Frequency Channel ListI have combined this list from a few others; this is a combine 99 channel list for both VHF/UHF. If you have a walkie that has both, then you can fully program off of them. If you have just UHF, then just add just the UHF channels.

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